


The First Plot

by KaterineBlack



Series: Gifting and Matchmaking [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Attempting to make up a meet cute, Boxing Day, Christmas, Ex-Auror Harry Potter, M/M, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, christmas gifts, trickery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28531629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaterineBlack/pseuds/KaterineBlack
Summary: Draco could always rely on Blaise to give him the best presents, but then he started to give him gifts from Weasley Wizard Wheezes for Christmas, always including the receipt and Draco just couldn’t figure out what his friend was hinting at.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: Gifting and Matchmaking [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2090061
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35





	1. The First Gift

“What the fuck, Blaise?” Draco stared down at the parcel he had just been given. It was wrapped in the gaudiest wrapping paper you could imagine, which was less surprising when you noticed the three golden W’s floating in and out of the pattern.

“It was the only wrapping paper I could find. I needed more than I had originally bought and everywhere else was sold out. It won’t let you open it until the 25th, all their wrapping paper is spelled to prevent peeking and considering where it’s from I wouldn’t want to try and get around it, who knows what it might do.” 

“It’s not like I would look anyway. It’s just such an eyesore, especially if I put it with the rest of the presents,” he sighed. “Well, that can’t be helped. I can just try to hide it under the rest so I at least don’t have to look at it until the day itself.”

* * *

“Draco, Darling, this one appears to be for you.” His mother passed a particularly brightly wrapped parcel to him.

Draco groaned. “I had forgotten about that, Blaise gave it to me before Yule. I don’t know why he used Weasley paper on it, apparently it was spelled so I couldn’t open it before today.” He carefully unwrapped the colorful box, which matched the wrapping paper.

“A Miniature Troll’s Leg Quill Holder, and look he’s included the receipt. That is quite a departure from his normal standards. Are you going to take it back to the shop, Darling?”

“No mother, I refuse to step foot into that Shop. I will just have to find something to do with this, I’m sure I can find something.”

“It’s your choice. Though I’m sure the shop cannot be that bad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to [siaaa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/siaaa/pseuds/siaaa) and [Vukovich](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vukovich/works) for looking over this fic for me!


	2. The Second Gift

“Again with the Weasley paper?”

“I still had some left from last year and your’s was the first gift I wrapped.” Blaise gave him a smirk..

“Fine, but I hope it’s better than last year’s Christmas gift. Seriously, my birthday gift was one of the best ones you’ve ever given me, but that Troll's leg, I was honestly expecting you to say it had been a joke and give me something else for weeks afterwards.”

“There was a better gift, you just have to figure out how to get it.” He had a particularly smug look on his face and his grin only got wider as Draco glared at him.

“If you had a better gift, why didn’t you just give it to me?”

“That, you have to figure out for yourself.”

* * *

Draco had decided to open Blaise’s present in his flat before he visited his parents, just in case it was as strange as the previous year’s had been. He was pleasantly surprised to find a plain black tie. Since he hadn’t decided on a tie yet he quickly looped it around his neck. Checking he had everything he Floo’d to the manor.  
“What are you wearing?” his father demanded of him almost as soon as he walked through the Floo.  
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? I thought it was rather understated.”  
“Darling, where did you get your tie; it’s clashing horrendously with everything.”  
He looked down his clothes and winced when he saw his tie. What had been plain black was now a riotous mix of every colour imaginable, each one clashing madly with its neighbours and the rest of his clothes.  
He sighed.“It was a gift from Blaise. In the box, it appeared to be a plain black tie. I do not know why he insists on giving me these ridiculous gifts, considering he has included the receipts with I’m assuming he knows I will hate them.” he unknotted the tie and the colours faded back to the black he had seen in the box. “I do have to admit some of the spell work is impressive, especially for Weasleys.”  
He kept hold of the tie and wore it each time he visited his cousin Teddy. The three year old enjoyed attempting to match the colour of his hair to the colour of the tie.


	3. The Third Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this as now as I've had a good week at Uni  
> This chapter is also very short  
> The next is longer and will be posted on Sunday as usual

“Why are you handing me a frog?

“You have to kiss it to get your gift, it’s another Weasley product. Theo insisted we use it, he said it was appropriate since you were always the Prince of Slytherin so it is only right you should kiss a few frogs to get your prince.”

“No, no, I refuse. That’s disgusting!” Draco started walking away from his friend. “And tell Theo that I won’t accept his gift either if it is also wrapped in a frog.”

He turned and looked back at Blaise. “And when did the two of you start reading muggle fairy tales, anyway?”


	4. The Final Gift

“Well at least it’s not a frog this time. But how are you still not out of wrapping paper from that shop?”

“Your expression when you see the wrapping is always priceless. If I didn’t think you would stop being my friend for giving you a Kiss-A-Frog wrapped gift again, I would use that again, as your reaction was so over the top. I still have that, by the way. If you do want that present, the sign in the store said they had a spell to unwrap it if no-one kissed it.” 

“Well, you take it back, then, and just give it to me unwrapped if you must.”

“Ah, but you see, my darling Draco,” Blaise laid his arm around Draco’s shoulders, “They’ll charge me to cast the spell as the buyer of the Kiss-A-Frog, but you, the unwilling recipient, they won’t charge a single knut.”

“Why would I care about saving you money when you bought the ridiculous thing in the first place!?” Draco playfully shoved the other man's arm off his shoulders.

* * *

Draco had decided to wait until he was back home after visiting the manor to unwrap Blaise’s gift that year, after the incident with the tie, he did not want to risk something else that would only reveal its true nature once he was with others. He carefully opened the wrapping paper and saw a box, with the golden triple W insignia of the shop and the letters ARFA. Completely stumped by the labelling, Draco slowly removed the lid of the box, as soon as there was a gap between the two parts of the box a bright green thing quickly flew out and hovered at his elbow. It continued to stay by his elbow as he moved around his flat. Once he realised it would not move out of arm's reach, Draco carefully examined the object. 

It had a silver rim and base, and appeared to be a dish of some sort. Looking back at the box, he saw two pieces of parchment sat in the bottom. One was the customary receipt he was coming to expect from Blaise’s gifts and the other was written in the standard Wheezes font. ‘The Always Ready Floating Ashtray’ the leaflet proudly proclaimed. Draco removed the receipt and carefully coaxed the tray back into its box before promptly putting the lid back on and tying a ribbon aboud it to keep it closed. 

* * *

The next morning, he marched into the gaudy building that housed the Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes store and, ignoring all the ostentatious displays, made his way directly to the counter at the back of the store. There were a few customers around and Draco thought he could see the distinctive Weasley red hair out of the corner of his eye. Without looking at the person behind the counter he put the box on the table, with the receipt on top.

“I wish to return this, please.”

“Malfoy, I thought you had sworn never to step foot in this store.”

“What are you doing here, Potter?”

“I work here, Malfoy. Now, what is the reason you wish to return this item?”

“I was given it as a gift and I have no use for it. You work here, really? For how long?”

“I felt like all I was doing in the Aurors was continuing the fighting that I had been doing through our school years. I needed to stop before it killed me and I thought I would see how my investment was doing from the inside. I’m normally in the workshop, but I help man the till over Christmas and the summer when it gets particularly busy and I cover Boxing Day, as the Twins have a tradition of getting very drunk. This is the fourth Christmas since I started working at the store. Would you like your refund in coins or transferred to your vault?”

“Four years?” Draco almost shouted.

“Yes, that’s what I said. Coins or vault, Mr Malfoy?”

“Coins,” he said without thinking, “You know, this is the fourth Yule Blaise has given me something from here and included a receipt with it.”

“That’s interesting, I’ve never seen Mr Zabini in here. Here’s your refund, sir”

“Would you like to come visit my flat after you have finished working, Potter? I think it would be fun to catch up.”

“What’s in it for me Malfoy?”

“Apart from my excellent company, you mean?”

“Well, it’s not like I know your company is excellent, it’s not like I have many examples of it.”

“I happened to take some particularly excellent wine from the family cellars last time I was at the mansion. I’m sure you would welcome it after having to spend so much time in this mess of a store. We can catch up and maybe you will discover you enjoy my company after all.”

Draco felt his heart speed up as Harry beamed at him.

“Wine sounds like just the thing I need after running the store alone today. Is six ok? There are few chores I have to do after the shop closes.”

“Shall I meet you here, or do you want to Floo to my flat?”

The blush that stained Harry’s cheeks made strange things happen in Draco’s stomach. “You can meet me outside if you would like.”

Draco gave what he hoped was a charming smile, “Well then, Mr Potter, I shall see you at six.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be an epilogue posted next Sunday  
> And then the Sunday afterwards the second fic in this duology will start posting


	5. Epilogue

Four unlikely friends met in a muggle pub a few streets away from the Leaky Cauldron. 

“Well, it worked, then,” said the redhead. They all clinked their beer glasses together.

“Weasley, I almost thought your bizarre plan was going to fail.”

“I have to agree, Ron. While the Kiss-A-Frog was hilarious, it almost ruined the whole thing.”

“I still don’t see why you had to put the blame for that on me Blaise, Draco is still giving me funny looks.” 

“Well, I couldn’t exactly say that Weasley here got the idea from his lovely wife, now could I? And I’m the one who had to ruin my reputation for excellent gift giving, aren’t I?”

“I’m surprised he didn’t return the tie.” The chubby brunet said before draining his glass.

“I heard from Andy that he wears it each time he visits little Teddy. It was just a matter of finding something he could find no excuse for keeping and had no-one to pass onto.”

“Which is why the ashtray worked. No-one Draco knows smokes and it was just annoying enough that he wouldn’t want to try and keep it.”

“Yes, yes, you told us so. But, admittedly, we did try to give it to him last year as well, but Ron, you did insist on the frog.”

“You have to admit his reaction to that was hilarious!”

“Anyway, I propose a toast.” the four men grabbed their glasses. “To successful matchmaking, and no more gag gifts!”

“I have to admit, unless your brother’s managed to think of something particularly spectacular for next year I don’t actually know what we could have given him.” The four laughed and finished their drinks before leaving

* * *

“Should we tell them we know what they did?” asked the blond man, sitting in a booth hidden from the group. 

“Draco, Love, I was hoping they would try for at least one more year. I was going to swap their gift out for this when I wrapped it for them.” The brunet pulled a box out of his pocket and got down on one knee next to the table. Green eyes met grey. “Will you do me the honour of marrying me, my Love?”

“Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you, Harry.” Draco felt tears in his eyes as he pulled his fiance into his arms. “Do you think you could get the Twins help to include something in their wedding invitations?”

“I’m sure I can, let’s go home, Love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted later than planned due to having had a migraine that lasted across Sunday and Monday


End file.
